Stories Abound In BB Turf Sprint
It’s hard to say that any one Breeders’ Bowl race is the best of the weekend but the Turf Sprint sure makes a case to be among the best. There are two champions, eleven grade one winners and eleven millionaires. The race will be run on Friday, November 2nd at 2:20:00 PM Game Time. It will be run at six and one half furlongs over a firm turf and may have a say in determining the champion in this division. Let’s take a look at the field.
#1 The Stonemaster 7/1
Hero of the MGD Special (G1) at this distance two starts back, The Stonemaster is entering this race in top form. He followed the MGD Special up with a heartbreaking defeat in the Sprint Cup (G1) where he ran third beaten just a neck by fellow entrants Chill the Beans and Invincible Spoe. This scratchbred five year old son of Medaglia D’oro x Deputy Minister x Kris S. really turned things on over the summer of 2017. He won an allowance with a career best speed of 115 in a race run at today’s distance. He followed that up with two more wins, a listed and a grade three. He had some time off over the winter and returned a winner in a listed at this distance with a 114 speed. He ran creditably in two grade ones before breaking through in the MGD Special. The feeling here is that his sweet spot distance is six and one half furlongs and he could run a big race back at this distance. His ideal running style is to sit just off the pace and pounce on the early leaders while trying to hold off the deep closers. He may find himself further back than usual in this start which could compromise his style but this colt is all heart.
#2 Blushing Cadet 12/1
This five year old scratchbred son of More Than Ready x Danehill x Blushing Groom earned his way into this race last year with a win in the five furlong Longchamp Sprint (G1). He ran back a month later and finished tenth in this spot before getting a three month layoff. He returned with an easy allowance win before jumping straight into grade ones of which all five of his other starts this year were. He scored his biggest win in the Sand Castle Turf Sprint over fellow opponents here Kaaterskill Falls and Holes in My Pants. He won that race with a 117 speed while going wire to wire which is not his typical running style. Generally he sits within a couple of lengths of the lead. He ran back in the King’s Fall at five furlongs and returned to his normal style only to come up one quarter length short of the winner Chill the Beans. He followed with two poor efforts in six furlong races, the last of which was early September. Trainer cadet thinks he is “an extremely talented horse that if he runs his race, he belongs.” He admits that after the win in Dubai he hasn’t “done a ton of planning with this horse and it shows…Sometimes they are talented enough to overcome the trainer.” While I agree with cadet that this horse’s best race could win in this spot, looking at his races I question whether he really wants to go the distance. His best races have come between five and six furlongs, although he does have two good wins at the distance in an allowance and a listed stakes. Cadet does offer a backstretch tip on one of his competitors “Wonderozzy is coming into this race very nicely on form….and I hear he has been getting a steady diet of moonshine”. Good stuff to know!
#3 Holes In My Pants 11/1
Last year’s Turf Sprint Champion Holes In My Pants enters this race seeking vengeance. He was beaten less than a length last year by Aram Halo who enters the race again. With three grade one wins on the season Holes In My Pants was able to get the championship. In eight starts this year he scored a win in the Grade One Cup of July as well as an allowance run in his 2018 debut. The five year old horse has run in seven consecutive grade one events but aside from the Cup of July he has failed to hit the board in any of the others although he did have a couple of fourths and a fifth. The son of Sixties Icon is the only stakes winner produced by his Elusive Quality x Smile dam who herself was a winner of ten starts in turf sprints. Aside from having so many starts this year in comparison to some of the other contenders here, Holes In My Pants has been racing consistently since June of 2016 with no extended breaks.
#4 Speaker Beauchamp 19/1
A win here for Speaker Beauchamp would give him a five race win badge. Since being gelded last year after a lackluster three year old spring campaign Speaker Beauchamp has run exclusively in turf sprints and of his 10 starts under those conditions he has won eight of them. Of course the most recent four are the most important. The race win streak started with his first listed win, then his second. After that it was time for a graded and he took the Grade Three Highlander Stakes by a half length with a 108 speed. He dropped down to five furlongs for the Grade One Longchamp Sprint and closed from tenth to win by one quarter lengths. He again ran a 108 speed that day and beat fellow entrant Allofthem. The son of Mr. Speaker is the first foal from a Wiseman’s Ferry x Speightstown mare and one wonders if she will see a boost in sire selection for 2019. There are two knocks on Speaker Beauchamp – the first is his speeds are a bit below the tops in this race. It’s difficult to say whether he has more in the tank when he is winning his races so that may not be a problem. The other concern is that at sprint distances he has never run farther than six furlongs and that distance just once in the Highlander Stakes. One would think a horse who may be far back early would appreciate the extra furlong but you never know until they try it.
#5 Allofthem 33/1
Allofthem was sitting as the #14 entrant in the field giving his trainer dixiedotco heart palpatations. Luckily he drew in and his trainer says “Allofthem is really peaking right now, so if he gets in, I expect him to run really well. His turf form is nothing short of outstanding, and as a lightly raced 3yo he has room to improve even more.” All of this is true. Allofthem started his career on dirt where he ran well but with a switch to turf and restricted to sprints he has been unstoppable. His last six starts came on the grass and he’s got a record of 6-4-2-0. You have to respect a horse who has never been out of the money under these conditions. Three of those wins came in listeds restricted to 3yos (including one at six and one half furlongs. Then came the step up to both graded company and running vs. older horses. Allofthem acquitted himself well in the Grade Two Goldene Stakes at six furlongs where he ran a career best 109 speed while closing from last to lose by only a length. He dropped back in distance to run in the five furlong Longchamp Sprint (G1) and again he found himself last early but unleased a furious charge to the finish which saw him just miss by a quarter length behind fellow entrant Speaker Beauchamp. Allofthem is a son of Day of the Cat out of an A.P. Indy x Danzig mare who has already produced a grade two winner and two other stakes winners. According to dixiedotco “The horse to beat IMO is Speaker Beauchamp, who finished just in front of us last time. But now my horse has a little extra experience, so that along with some more distance hopefully moves him forward even more.”
#6 No Nay Satan 37/1
Another three year old in the field, No Nay Satan has already secured a grade one win and over a million dollars in the bank. The gelded son of No Nay Never was produced by the graded placed, stakes winning Pivotal x Seeking the Gold mare Swingingwithsatan. Swingingwithsatan was best at a mile or less on the grass and she has already produced a grade one winner by Preferred Issue named Devil’s Intent who was best at a mile. Swingingwithsatan is a daughter of Champion Super Gold who won three grade ones on the grass as a two year old, two sprints and one mile race. No Nay Satan followed the family business. He’s never tried dirt nor a route but in turf sprints he’s only been off the board in one race from thirteen starts, including nine wins. His biggest score came last October when he took the six furlong Middlepark Stakes (G1). He was also second in another grade one last season and started this year just getting nipped at the wire in the Equinics Turf Sprint for three year olds. He will get a rematch with the horse that beat him that day, Waki Hadda in this spot. Since the Equinics he has only raced four times, winning two allowances and a listed. He hasn’t started since July 29th so it will be interesting to see how he has matured. He did run a 108 over the summer so he has speed but he does his best running going wire to wire and he’ll be challenged early here.
#7 Wonderozzy 7/1
Trainer itch says “it was Wonderozzy’s plan to come to the Breeders’ Bowl”. Itch runs a small operation with only four stables and thus he says “I am in shock to be sending a message such as this. Breeders’ Bowl runners have been few and far between for me over the years.” The four year old son of Australia is the second consecutive grade two winner produced by itch’s great mare World Cup Wonder. World Cup Wonder was a gift horse to itch with wonderful breeding – A.P. Indy x Mr. Prospector. The mare won one grade one and three other graded races while routing on the grass during her career. With that kind of backend and being by Epsom Derby winner Australia you might expect to see Wonderozzy in the Turf but, as itch says this colt has a mind of his own. He really started to come to hand last August and began flashing real speed over the winter. His four year old season has been pretty sensational. He’s won five of his seven runs this season, three of which came at the graded level. The biggest victory by far in his career was his most recent start. I’ll let itch describe it to you “The Turf Sprint was not in the plans for WONDEROZZY. I did not expect him to win the Grade 2 in Paris last out. After all, he was facing the great ALABA, Giroux28’s fine champion and No. 1 horse in the division. Also against him was MTK’s AMERICAN CRIME, the No. 5 horse in the division. I love Wonderozzy, but no way did I expect him to beat those two. But he did! I was shocked when he passed Alaba and held off American Crime.” Wonderozzy ran a 115 speed that day where he sat just off the pace. His career best came two starts previously in a grade three when he ran a 116. This horse seems to have all the goods but one big question mark. All of his races this year have come at seven furlongs and he has never run a shorter distance.
#8 Kaaterskill Falls 13/1
This five year old horse comes in with a strong resume. He’s won three grade ones in his career, all at six furlongs on the grass. He’s got nearly two million bucks in the bank and as a son of Giant’s Causeway out of the grade two winning Kingmambo x Danehill mare Just the Tip a stud career is assured for him. Unfortunately Kaaterskill Falls is not the same horse he was last season, or even earlier this year. He began the season with a grade one win before running a strong third in the Equinics Turf Sprint and third again in the Sand Castle Turf Sprint (G1). Since that race he has finished well back in four straight grade one outings.
#9 Chill The Beans 9/1
Chill the Beans has one of the more interesting stories in this race. He was dropped into a $3,500 claiming race midway through his four year old season and trainer tees was the smart cookie who picked him up. He immediately gelded the colt by Slade Power out of the graded placed stakes winning Danehill Dancer x Broad Brush mare Slow Dancin’. The claim of Chill the Beans as a four year old was fortuitous. His older brother Atacenango began running in graded stakes as a four year old and eventually won a G2. After two dirt runs Chill the Beans found himself in a starter going five furlongs on the grass and he has not looked back. He’s run ten straight turf sprints and has won seven with two seconds and a third. He ran through his starter tag, then his allowance conditions and jumped straight to a G2 in March where he finished second. He followed that with a listed win and then took the G1 King’s Fall by one quarter length after unleashing a furious run that took him to the front from next to last. The Stonemaster got the better of Chill the Beans in the MGD Special G1 but only by a head. He came back to return the favor in the Sprint Cup where he closed from last to beat Invincible Spoe by a head with The Stonemaster just a neck behind that rival.
#10 Waki Hadda 23/1
There are very few sim runners – Breeders’ Bowl runners no less – that have me scratching my head when I see their sire’s name. But Waki Hadda is by Hvasstan, a son of Fastnet Rock I had not heard of before today. He currently sits in the sim books at 16 bps and credits. Whatever the magic it worked with the Miswaki x Forty Niner mare Waki Alexis, a graded placed, stakes winning runner. This is her second graded winner and she also has three other stakes winners. Waki Hadda has a two year old full sister who is already stakes placed. Somethings just work – remember that! At any rate Waki Hadda showed he was special early on winning two graded sprints as a baby and earning a berth in the Breeders’ Bowl Juvenile Turf. He won four straight stakes races starting in December of 2017 culminated by the three year old turf sprint Equinics race. He followed that with a win in the Grade Three Tetris Stakes in April where he ran a 108 speed – scorching for that time of year for a three year old. After an unsuccessful try at a mile he returned to the turf to score an allowance win and then ran fourth in a grade three. He’s never faced older runners before which is always a disadvantage for the three year olds.
#11 Alaba 6/1
Alaba is currently the number one ranked colt in the division. That’s based on a huge win in the Grade One Strand Broke at seven furlongs where he ran a 118 speed. He beat some big names in the division in that start including Aram Halo, American Crime, The Stonemaster, Holes in My Pants, Wonderozzy and Kaaterskill Falls, all of whom show up in this race. He’s run in four grade ones this year and has a second, third and fourth place finish at the top level. Alaba dropped down to a grade two in August and won the Hawkz Challenge by a head but again ran a big speed of 117 while doing it. He bounced a bit in his most recent run, the Grade Two De La Fore where he finished third behind Wonderozzy and American Crime but if he rebounds off that race to the top speeds he is capable of he is going to be very, very tough to beat. Alaba is a four year old by Dawn Approach out of the Redoute’s Choice x Seeking the Gold mare Mutha Lode. He is her first foal and only stakes winner.
#12 American Crime 6/1
American Crime finished fifth in this spot last year, coming in off a win in the De La Fore (G2). He scored his biggest victory this past March when he won the Grade One Ye Ole Shopping Exchange at six furlongs. He ran in three more grade ones, all in a row and finished third in the first two before his patented late rally fell short in the MGD Special won by The Stonemaster. Even though he didn’t hit the board that day he did finish fifth, only a length and a quarter behind the winner in what was a blanket finish. The five year old gelding by Cape Cross out of the graded placed stakes winning Sadler’s Wells x A.P. Indy mare Orwellian is one of three graded winners the twelve year old mare has produced. The mare did her best running in turf sprints as did her grade one winning son Totalitarianism by Smart Strike. That colt was good enough to make the field for this race in 2014. American Crime tried to defend his title in the De La Fore but the field was small with little early speed and rival Wonderozzy got the first jump on him. American Crime ran creditably finishing second with a 112 speed. He’ll get more early pace in this spot.
#13 Aram Halo 5/1
The favorite in this spot is the returning champion, Aram Halo. The five year old scratchbred son of Smart Strike x Seattle Slew x Halo has only won a single listed – at a mile no less – since his victory last year but he did that with a 119 speed and he has been running high numbers for most of the year. He finished second behind Alaba in the Strand Broke (G1) with a 116. He tried stretching to a mile in a grade one over the summer and was fifth but again ran a 115 speed. Aram Halo returned to sprint competition in his most recent start in September where he finished fourth by less than a length in the Sprint Cup. This colt is oozing speed but hasn’t quite put things together to get the wins he deserves. Looking back at his record coming into this race last year you would see win after win leading up to the win in the Breeders’ Bowl. He’s fast enough to take on this field but has he lost that killer instinct?
#14 Invincible Spoe 9/1
Invincible Spoe was named Champion Three Year Old Turf Sprint last season off a win in the Grade Two Ascot Vail and a third place finish against older runners in the Grade One King Kong Sprint. He took two months off after that race and came back running inconsistently. You can’t say that about his last four runs. All came in graded stakes and he hit the board every time. That streak started in June when he won the Grade Two Golden Jamboree and concluded with his most recent start – a Grade Two Sprinter Stakes win. In between he was third in a grade three, beaten one half lengths and a second by a heartbreaking head in the Grade One Sprint Stakes behind Chill the Beans. Over those four races he’s averaged 110.5 speeds which puts him right in the thick of things here. Invincible Spoe is a four year old son of Sepoy. He was based on a graded placed stakes winning hemare by Invincible Spirit x Habitat. Named Invincible Vice he was a war horse who ran sixty two starts and hit the board in thirty seven of those races.
Good luck to all!
Thanks for your wonderful work Spinny.